Preston Epps - Bongo rock

[bdjunker]

I liked the B side too, but can't remember the name of the song??????

[69ssrszl1]

Cool man dig it.

[SweetJaneofGoth]

Like my grandpap says - "this is one of the greatest 45s of all time"

[rwb010109]

Have this old album and it is great..RWB

[risavya]

i like the part where he plays the bongos.

[buriedinvinyl]

@risavya lol!

[Featureman]

I met Preston Epps in 1962 at KRAM Radio in Las Vegas. He did a live show and interview at the studio. He seemed very nice.

[GregDad100]

Epps made a cameo in the 1968 film, "The Girl In Gold Boots," which was featured on the satirical TV show, "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

[MrEddeb3]

...was in Austin, Texas the summer of 1957....a freshman in high school on vacation...UT gals and guys were dancing to this number down on the pavilion at Bull Creek! The short shorts on the gals were H-O-T! I knew then that college and college women were for me! Thank you Mr. Epps!!!

[TheLadandLass]

what a great friggin' song

[tempetiger]

Excellent drum beat! This has a really great "surfing song" sound, especially at 0:38 and afterwards, where it sounds similar to "Wipeout" .

[pelicanflew]

@tempetiger This song was covered and altered slightly by the Surfaris on their smash hit "Wipe Out." Preston epps was the originator.

[pelicanflew]

@tempetiger This song was covered and altered slightly by the Surfaris on their smash hit "Wipe Out." But Preston Epps was the originator.

[Verbeke7]

@pelicanflew

It sounds similar, but the drums in "Wipe Out" were actually just a sped up version of the drummer's High School march.

[MissAerialist]

He's incredible! I do believe Curtis Mayfiled found inspiration with Preston Epps, as can be heard on "Move on Up."

[doowopnuts]

Love it!!!

[CrudeDude]

Dayum! I had NO IDEA Preston Epps was born in Oakland! Cool! I was born and raised there. Castlemont 1963

[boxingin]

I thought the best Bongo players were Latinos but this dude is a Beast on bongos!

Awsome!

[alshouse]

Surf + bongoes = this :) :) :)

[clarkewi]

Bongo Rock was a huge hit in "The Valley".

[Diogenes1360]

Digg Daddiee OOH! Its Hipp, Katt. Man! a ALive! Craziee< Like my feet cant stopp!!

[paddyosee]

Just goes to show that, with the proper composition, ANYTHING can provide a hit record. Just try to get something like this produced and released today...

[Peki1946]

Oh man ist das schon lange her, klasse, ich habs gefunden. Thx für upl

[Shadow50Leo]

This is so good!! thanks love it

[vkorchnoifan]

I love this tune. Has it been 50 years ??

[adamtzsch]

tHE FIRST EVER "ROCK N ROLL" SHIT :(

[verka3]

good bongo rock

[janiceimo]

ha, this is neat, i like the beat ;)

[alshouse]

Somewhere, Jack Costanza is going "Ah duuuuuuuuuude"! :)

[bjc19199]

hey astephenp, your grandfather did some reeeal good work. i loved this one and on the other side was a song called bongo party. that was on the original 45. my mom and dad bought this song when i was about 8 or 9 yrs old. tell him thanks for a great song!

[lovewalruss]

the bongo playing is excellent but I prefer the all round Incedible Bongo Band version

[uszoninyc]

I've always loved hearing Mr. Epps doing this - it's mind-boggling how FAST he gets up to. Truly an amazing player, an amazing song. To the grandson of Mr. Epps; please wish him all the best, and thank him for this wonderful treat!

[TrentLori]

Are you still out there Preston? Is your daughter & hubby still doing promos & concerts? I miss you so much. Lost touch after Embassy Records closed office in Covina. You didn't answer my last e-mail & I changed ISP's I want to see more of what you're doing now. I still have master of KTLA video, MOses said he lost it. I miss him too, we had a lot of fun. Juergen went by the wayside. Have you seen Ray B rooks? Please call me or post a contact point for me. Love, Lorelei

[brandone1981]

Preston was in one of my favorite bad movies of all time, Girl In Gold Boots, check out the MST3K episode for his immaculate percussion work amidst awful cinematic dreck...

[RonaldVaughan]

Written by one Arthur Egnoian....better

known today as ART LABOE...

WHAT A GREAT OLDIE!

[CrackerJackLee]

now we know where they copied "Wipe Out" from...

[CrackerJackLee]

now we know where they copied "Wipe Out" from...

[bkimthomas]

Played with Preston in Atlanta in 1969

I spoke with Little richards brother today

have your Grand Dad call me!

Bobby Thomas Ann Thomases brother!

Cell (916) 670-9894

[1961FloridaBoy]

Great ! I loved it and beautiful sound.

[astephenp]

man you guys wonderful, this is my grandad. he still has the same bongos he made this song with.....and still plays.

thanks.

[POLI3721]

@astephenp Ur A Lucky Man,Ace. Ur Grandad Started A Craze/Fad. 1959, I Was High School Freshman, Nxt Yr, I Get My Car. I Notice Those Who Did Have Cars, Had A Pair Of Bongos Setting On The Rear Windshield.There Was A Shelf w/The Rear Windshield In Those Days . The Following Year, I Got My Car n Had A Pair Of Bongos On My Rear Windshield. If One Go's To A Party, Some One Brings Their Bongos..Dueling Bongos You Might Say! Yup-per Your Lucky To Have A GRAND DAD, By The Name..PRESTON EPPS.

[TrentLori]

@astephenp 82677

I worked with Preston & Moses Armstrong, Ray Brooks & many others via Embassy Records in 1999-2001.Miss him terribly! Lost track of him - last invite to birthday concert & I changed ISP's can you ask him to contact me? Lorelei (951) 672-2381 aka Lori Trent (Union Tribune)

[jeffsor47]

@astephenp  This one of the first '45 records I bought!

[salinagrrrl69]

@astephenp I came here 38 years later in search of this after hearing this version on my sis's standard K-Tel(?) 50's/60's comp albumn popular n common after American Graffiti circa 1973. I heard it played live from a distance by an unseen band playing some party on frat house row at USC in 1987.

[MrJackthebiscuit]

@astephenp Wow! You must have THE coolest grandad EVAH!!!

[Greatscott0420]

@astephenp your grandad! thats fantastic. Tell him he is a god to me.

[99sco]

love this tune.

[Giannalberta]

Grande ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[blinko656]

Finally. Please post my video sent you. It's Preston with over dubbed video.

Mike

[neckpincher]

Have recently heard this playing in the background during "Local on the 8s" on the Weather Channel.......cool!

[KOSMICKEN09]

I got some Bongos in the mail today.....made me think of this song

[stylinaway]

that's cool.

[aceshigh130]

I remember this one coming in on the radio of my good ol' '57 Ford Fairlane 2 door -- front and rear speakers. Heaven on wheels. Thanks for the super post.

[blinko656]

Don't know why you took off the the videos I sent you. It shows some people honor Mr. Epps work..

[45rpmSINGLES]

I havent taken off any linked videos ! If you have a video , link it with a video response.

[blinko656]

I have listened to this song for close to 50 years. It is my sauna work out song. lol --- it really is.

[randestuart]

Now that's rOck 'n rOll !!!

[lyon406]

WOW, its been 40+ years since I heard this on the radio....thanks

[aldiakaroofus]

Wow, I didn't know The Incredible Bongo Band's version was a remake!

[rwb010109]

Great song,,RWB

[Ogladif28]

YEAAH! this one rocks :)

[yahowa57]

Hey thanks for this post-Great sound quality from my all time favorite bongo player!

[yahowa57]

Surf Music! Love it and always have

[DarchVillain]

lol u dont find this on iTunes

[blinko656]

It is there..

[Syzygy60]

that's not fast

[bongomanfromdalou]

Now I've gotta practice my bongos to play as fast as he's playin' on this recording! AWESOME, 'bro!

(By the way, could this be the inspiration for the drum solo on the Surfaris' "Wipeout"?

[controlh]

Musically, this same 12 bar blues pattern continues to be the inspiration for lots of songs... so they all sound pretty similar. The drum rythmn itself on Wipe Out though is different.

[donnowhonono]

possible. but which one was first??? bongo or surfaris????

[bongomanfromdalou]

"Bongo Rock" was released in the spring of 1959; "Wipeout" debuted in the late spring of 1963.

[JoshSitar]

Yes, this indeed was the inspiration for "Wipe Out". I just read that in a music history book and looked up this song to hear it. The similarities are pretty clear.

[nostalgiahistoria67]

Fabuloso!A Classic I haven't heard it in years.Totally awesome!Now I've gotta go drag out those old bongo drums out of the closet......